The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Tungsten

RTECS #

YO7175000

CAS #

7440-33-7
See: NMAM or OSHA Methods

Updated

September 2018

Molecular Weight

183.85

Molecular Formula

W

Synonyms

Wolfram

Skin and Eye Irritation and References

Route/Organism	Dose	Effect	Reference
eye /rabbit	500 mg/24H	mild	28ZPAK -,19,1972
skin /rabbit	500 mg/24H	mild	28ZPAK -,19,1972

Reproductive Effects Data and References

Route/Organism	Dose	Effect	Reference
oral/rat	1210 µg/kg (35W prior to copulation)	Reproductive: Effects on fertility: Post- implantation mortality (e.g., dead and/or resorbed implants per total number of implants) Reproductive: Specific developmental abnormalities: Musculoskeletal system	GISAAA 42(8),30,1977
oral/rat	1160 µg/kg (30W prior to copulation/1-20D pregnant)	Reproductive: Specific developmental abnormalities: Musculoskeletal system	FATOAO 41,620,1978

Acute Toxicity Data and References

Route/Organism	Dose	Effect	Reference
In Vitro/Human, kidney	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 200 mg/L/24H	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell viability (lysosomal damage): neutral red assay etc. In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell viability (mitochondrial reductase assays): MTT, XTT, MTS, WSTs assays etc.	TXAPA9 253,178,2011
In Vitro/Human, kidney	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 1000 µmol/L/24H	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Other assays	TXAPA9 253,178,2011
In Vitro/jah	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 100 mg/L/24H	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell viability (lysosomal damage): neutral red assay etc.	TXAPA9 253,178,2011
In Vitro/max	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 100 mg/L/1W	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell viability (lysosomal damage): neutral red assay etc. In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell viability (mitochondrial reductase assays): MTT, XTT, MTS, WSTs assays etc.	TXAPA9 253,178,2011
In Vitro/Mouse, leukemia cells	Inhibitor Concentration Low: 100 mg/L/4H	In Vitro Toxicity Studies: Cell metabolic activity: Alamar Blue assay etc.	TXAPA9 259,74,2012
intraperitoneal/rat	lethal dose (50 percent kill): 5 gm/kg	Vascular: Regional or general arteriolar or venous dilation Liver: Other changes Blood: Other changes	INMEAF 15,482,1946
intratracheal/rat	lowest published toxic dose: 200 mg/kg	Lung, Thorax, or Respiration: Fibrosis, focal (pneumoconiosis)	HBTME* -,871,2007

Reviews

Organization	Standard	Reference
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)	Threshold Limit Value-time-weighted average 5 mg(week)/m3;short term exposure limit 10 mg(week)/m3	DTLVS* TLV/BEI,2013
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)	Threshold Limit Value-time-weighted average 5 mg/m³;short term exposure limit 10 mg/m³	DTLVS* TLV/BEI,2013
TOXICOLOGY REVIEW		ENTOX* -,392,2005
TOXICOLOGY REVIEW		HBTME* ,871,2007
TOXICOLOGY REVIEW		NTAPM* -,629,1995
TOXICOLOGY REVIEW		TOLED5 265,106,2017

Standards and Regulations

Organization	Standard	Reference
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) STANDARD	air-time-weighted average 5 mg/m³ (insoluble)	DTLVS* 3,272,1971
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) STANDARD-air	time-weighted average 1 mg/m³ (soluble)	DTLVS* 3,272,1971
Occupational Exposure Limit-AUSTRIA	MAK-TMW 5 mg/m³;KZW 10 mg/m³, inhal, 2007
Occupational Exposure Limit-BELGIUM	time-weighted average 5 mg/m³, short term exposure limit 10 mg/m³, MAR2002
Occupational Exposure Limit-DENMARK	time-weighted average 5 mg(W)/m³ (dust), MAY2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-ICELAND	time-weighted average 5 mg/m³, dust, NOV2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-MEXICO	time-weighted average 5 mg(W)/m³;short term exposure limit 10 mg(W)/m³, 2004
Occupational Exposure Limit-NEW ZEALAND	time-weighted average 1 mg(W)/m³, JAN2002
Occupational Exposure Limit-NORWAY	time-weighted average 5 mg/m³, JAN1999
Occupational Exposure Limit-POLAND	MAC(time-weighted average) fume and dust 5 mg/m³, JAN1999
Occupational Exposure Limit-RUSSIA	time-weighted average 6 mg/m³, JUN2003
Occupational Exposure Limit-SWEDEN	time-weighted average 5 mg/m³, JUN2005
Occupational Exposure Limit-SWITZERLAND	MAK-week 5 mg/m³, inhal, JAN2011
Occupational Exposure Limit-UNITED KINGDOM	time-weighted average 5 mg/m³;short term exposure limit 10 mg/m³, OCT2007

NIOSH Documentation and Surveillance

Organization	Standard	Reference
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Level TO TUNGSTEN, insoluble-air	time-weighted average 5 mg(W)/m³;short term exposure limit 10 mg/m³	NIOSH* DHHS #92-100,1992
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Recommended Exposure Level TO TUNGSTEN, soluble-air	10H time-weighted average 1 mg(W)/m³;short term exposure limit 3 mg/m³	NIOSH* DHHS #92-100,1992
National Occupational Exposure Survey 1983	Hazard Code X5928; Number of Industries 4; Total Number of Facilities 53; Number of Occupations 11; Total Number of Employees Exposed 3907; Total Number of Female Employees Exposed 1258
National Occupational Exposure Survey 1983	Hazard Code X7685; Number of Industries 5; Total Number of Facilities 174; Number of Occupations 15; Total Number of Employees Exposed 4822; Total Number of Female Employees Exposed 3021
National Occupational Exposure Survey 1983	Hazard Code 74980; Number of Industries 52; Total Number of Facilities 1623; Number of Occupations 43; Total Number of Employees Exposed 38323; Total Number of Female Employees Exposed 3591
National Occupational Hazard Survey 1974	Hazard Code 74980; Number of Industries 20; Total Number of Facilities 530; Number of Occupations 24; Total Number of Employees Exposed 4735

Status in Federal Agencies

Organization	Reference
EPA TSCA Section 8(b) CHEMICAL INVENTORY
EPA TSCA Section 8(d) unpublished health/safety studies
EPA TSCA TEST SUBMISSION (TSCATS) DATA BASE, JANUARY 2001
NIOSH Analytical Method, 1994: Tungsten (soluble and insoluble), 7074
OSHA ANALYTICAL METHOD #ID213

Page last reviewed: November 16, 2018

Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

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